It's hard to disagree with any of the above. We are a selling club, everyone accepts that. But where as before we got the benefits of having the likes of Russell, Goodwillie, Gauld  and Armstrong in the first team making a real impact for a few seasons before they moved on it's gradually shifted to selling them off to a English teams youth setup as soon as they show an ounce of promise.

The players that have been coming through in recent seasons, Mochrie, Freeman, Glass, Chalmers etc are technically decent players but they offer nothing that makes them really stand out compared to the likes of the players I mentioned before. Most of them look like they'll have decent lower level careers and nothing more.

Of course it's good the club have money coming in when we sell youth players, but it would be nice if the club got some on field benefit from them as well before selling them on.

Rick Dagless wrote:

It's hard to disagree with any of the above. We are a selling club, everyone accepts that. But where as before we got the benefits of having the likes of Russell, Goodwillie, Gauld and Armstrong in the first team making a real impact for a few seasons before they moved on it's gradually shifted to selling them off to a English teams youth setup as soon as they show an ounce of promise.

The players that have been coming through in recent seasons, Mochrie, Freeman, Glass, Chalmers etc are technically decent players but they offer nothing that makes them really stand out compared to the likes of the players I mentioned before. Most of them look like they'll have decent lower level careers and nothing more.

Of course it's good the club have money coming in when we sell youth players, but it would be nice if the club got some on field benefit from them as well before selling them on.

Cant argue but what I will say is for these players to be given a proper chance we need the right kind of senior players in the team to support them, not sure we have that
 

I think there is only so much youth coaches can do. They can only work with what they are given. It might be a bit harsh to say but you can't polish a turd.

There hasn't been much coming through the academy for a few years but I think that could be said about the whole of Scottish football atm.

Rick Dagless wrote:

Finn Seemann wrote:

Rick Dagless wrote:

It's hard to disagree with any of the above. We are a selling club, everyone accepts that. But where as before we got the benefits of having the likes of Russell, Goodwillie, Gauld and Armstrong in the first team making a real impact for a few seasons before they moved on it's gradually shifted to selling them off to a English teams youth setup as soon as they show an ounce of promise.

The players that have been coming through in recent seasons, Mochrie, Freeman, Glass, Chalmers etc are technically decent players but they offer nothing that makes them really stand out compared to the likes of the players I mentioned before. Most of them look like they'll have decent lower level careers and nothing more.

Of course it's good the club have money coming in when we sell youth players, but it would be nice if the club got some on field benefit from them as well before selling them on.

That's just it - who is advising these kids to go an join any number of kids from around the world in these EPL nurseries?  Yip some will make it, many won't.  What's wrong with getting some experience in the Scottish Prem first and then heading off.  The likes of Robertson, Armstrong, Russell and Gauld did that and have all had good careers out of the game.  Will we ever see the likes of Smith and McLeod have those sort of careers?  That said, as Dagless says, we don't really have the players in the team or the comfort of being safe from relegation to bring these guys on.  If ever there was an argument for top league expansion, this is it.

 
Its hard to see past it being anything other than money being the main selling point peddled by their agents. I'd be interested to see how many players from these academies actually make it in the PL. For the ones that do make it. There'll be loans and then permanent moves to lower English league teams. The money on offer down there even in League 1/2 is more than they'll get up here.

I agree to a point that it's harder to give young players a chance when we are struggling against relegation, but it's not impossible. We did it during the dark times in the early 00's with the likes of Thompson and Wilson and made a decent sum off of them.

With what Dufc19 said about having the right senior players, I agree with you, but what are the right kind of senior players? You'd have thought Mulgrew and Fletcher would fall into that category.

I think they do fall into that category, but the former has to actually be on the pitch and the latter has to have someone within 30 yards of him to coach them.  Fletcher has always led the line well, but one isn't a line...

Dare I say it I think you need one of the senior players in centre mid.  Much mirth was pointed at John Rankin and Paul Paton, but the likes of Robertson, Gauld and Armstrong have all in the past thanked them for bringing them on.  As it happens, if we could find a modern day Rankin or Paton I think that would really improve the team.

There have been murmurings (probably shite) of MacArthur from Palace.  If he is still mobile enough then I think he would be a very good senior player for us (although I do think he's too old and unlikely to come anyway).  Mulgrew doesn't have the legs for midfield.

Not going to quote everyone above but definitely agree on Finns point about Armstrong, Gauld etc.

A player I often forget about, and I think I'm not the only one, is Scott Banks. Played one or two games for us at 17 or 18, looked decent, we offered a new contract and he buggered off to be well paid at Crystal Palace reserves. From there he was shunted off to Dunfermline, Alloa and didn't impress and now I see he's at Bradford City in League 2 and had limited appearances.

I personally think the argument grows stronger every year that a season or two of first team appearances for United before progressing elsewhere is usually a good way to go.

With that said, if someone offered me a few grand a week at 18 to sit on my arse I'm not convinced I would've turned it down either. Easy said sat behind a keyboard with fuck all footballing ability 

Last edited by Morphman (13/1/2023 7:33 pm)